Health HandoutsHealth handouts, wellness handouts, fitness handouts and more…

A Dozen Ways to Improve Your Walking Workout – Of all the ways to stay fit, walking is the easiest, safest, and cheapest. It can also be the most fun: a fine day, a good companion, an attainable goal (such as a scenic spot) three or four miles away. On city streets, in the woods, or even round and round the high school track, walking is the best way to experience a landscape. If it’s too rainy for anything but a treadmill indoors, at least you can read or watch TV. And after your workout, you know you’ve done yourself some good.

Basic Stretching Routine – Stretching, one of the simplest fitness activities, is controversial. Will it prevent injuries? Some say yes, some say no. Is there a right and wrong way to do it? Different methods have their advocates. Here’s a Q & A session about a typ e of exercise that has undeniable benefits—whichever side you take in the controversy—and also feels good.

Exercise and Weight Control – Almost everyone has tried to lose weight at one time or another. People who have had the greatest success know that a person has to do two things to lose weight: • Eat fewer calories than the body needs. • Increase the number of calories the body burns as fuel.

Exercise Log – Exercise Log Use this log to keep track of your weekly exercise activity. It can help you see how exercise affects your daily life! By taking a few seconds to document workouts, you’re bound to take a greater pride in your training program!

Fitting Fitness into a Busy Schedule – You know that becoming physically fit can enhance the quality—and number—of the years ahead. But you can’t seem to find enough time to make fitness work for you. Making time for fitness means setting priorities, sneaking extra activities into daily routines and scheduling fitness time as you would other important events.

Setting Fitness Goals – The most important part of developing a personal plan for physical fitness is knowing why you want to become more fit. As simple as that may sound, it is actually a critical aspect of a successful fitness plan. If your goal is weight loss, you’ll approach fitness somewhat differently than if your goal is building strength and endurance. And once you know why you want to become more fit, you can more easily determine what you can do to reach that goal.

Sneak Activity into Your Day – Picture yourself feeling more energetic, more alive, and feeling good about making a change. Picture yourself not being winded when you reach the top of a flight of stairs or after you’ve finished carrying a trunk full of groceries into the house. By sneaking more physical activity into your daily routine, you’ll make great strides in your quest for a healthier you. You may already be more active than you realize. Ask yourself if you ever do any of the activities listed below. If you do – GREAT! Keep it up! If not, consider adding some of them to your daily routine.

Your Guide to Physical Activity and Your Heart (52 pgs) – Chances are, you already know that physical activity is good for you. “Sure,” you may say. “When I get out and move around, I know it helps me to feel and look better.” But you may not realize just how important regular physical activity is to your health. According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who are more active. This is true even if you have no other conditions or habits that increase your risk for heart disease. Lack of physical activity also leads to more visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a variety of illnesses.

Walking – A Step in the Right Direction – Walking is one of the easiest ways to be physically active. You can do it almost anywhere and at any time. Walking is also inexpensive–all you need is a pair of shoes with sturdy heel support. Walking may:

Tips to Help You Get Active – You know that physical activity is good for you. So what is stopping you from getting out there and getting at it? Maybe you think that working out is boring, joining a gym is costly, or doing one more thing during your busy day is impossible. Physical activity can be part of your daily life. This booklet can help you get moving by offering ideas to beat your roadblocks to getting active.

Aerobic Exercise – Inactivity is reaching “crisis proportions” as the result of a highly technological society that makes it convenient to remain sedentary. It is now estimated that 60 percent of adult Americans are not physically active on a regular basis. Even more disturbing, one in four Americans is not active at all. Recent findings confirm that fitness is a better predictor of health and longevity than almost any other factor studied.

Basic Information About Diabetes – Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes is a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. There are two major types of diabetes:

Could You Have Diabetes and Not Know It – Could you have diabetes and not know it? Take this test to find out. Sixteen million Americans have diabetes – and one out of three doesn’t even know it! Take this test to see if you are at risk for having diabetes. Diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. If you are a member of one of these ethnic groups, you need to pay special attention to this test.

Looking After Your Eyes – There are a couple of conditions at the back of the eye which can cause blurring of the vision. One is cataract, which happens to most of us if we live long enough, but can happen at an earlier age if you have diabetes. The more serious cause of blurred vision is diabetic retinopathy.

Looking After Your Feet – Why are your feet so important? Preventive care of your feet is very important if you have diabetes. Individuals with diabetes are at risk for conditions that could result in an amputation. Diabetes is the primary cause of non-traumatic amputations.

Managing Diabetes When You Are Ill – Can my diabetes be affected by an illness or stress? Maintaining good control of your diabetes is not easy. It requires motivation, discipline, and an understanding of how diabetes affects your body. Sometimes, however, no matter how hard you try, things go wrong. Infection or an illness such as a cold or the flu, for instance, can cause high blood sugars, loss of diabetes control, and and if you have type 1 diabetes may result in a condition known as ketoacidosis. If you have type 2 diabetes, ketoacidosis is rare but you may experience very high blood sugars and you should know how deal with these events. Ask your doctor for sick day rules before you get sick so you are prepared.

Impotence and What You Should Know – Many men with diabetes feel isolated if they develop impotence (or erectile dysfunction, as it is termed by the medical profession). Impotence is certainly not an isolated problem, however, as we now know that approximately one third of diabetic men suffer from this problem. Ten years ago impotence was a taboo subject. Patients and health care professionals were embarrassed to talk about the subject. Health care professionals were uncertain how to treat the problem, and the easiest way out was to reassure the patient that the problem would get better with time. However, if a man with diabetes develops impotence, there is a less than a one in ten chance that the problem will improve spontaneously.

What is Diabetes? – What is diabetes? Diabetes is a defect in the body’s ability to convert glucose (sugar) to energy. Glucose is the main source of fuel for our body. When food is digested it is changed into fats, protein, or carbohydrates. Foods that affect blood sugars are called carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, when digested, change to glucose. Examples of some carbohydrates are: bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, corn, fruit, and milk products. Individuals with diabetes should eat carbohydrates but must do so in moderation. Glucose is then transferred to the blood and is used by the cells for energy. In order for glucose to be transferred from the blood into the cells, the hormone – insulin is needed. Insulin is produced by the beta cells in the pancreas (the organ that produces insulin). In individuals with diabetes, this process is impaired. Diabetes develops when the pancreas fails to produce sufficient quantities of insulin – Type 1 diabetes or the insulin produced is defective and cannot move glucose into the cells – Type 2 diabetes. Either insulin is not produced in sufficient quantities or the insulin produced is defective and cannot move the glucose into the cells.

Control Your Diabetes For Life – There are many good reasons to take action to manage your diabetes. • Each day you are likely to feel good and have more energy. • In the future, you are likely to stay healthy and prevent or delay problems that can involve your heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.

You Don’t Have to Knock Yourself Out to Prevent Diabetes – Studies show that people at high risk for diabetes can prevent the disease by losing a small amount of weight by getting 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week and eating healthier. The key is: Small steps that lead to big rewards. Use these tips for ideas on moving more and eating healthier. Take your first steps today!

It’s Never Too Early to Prevent Diabetes – If you had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant, you and your child have a lifelong risk for getting diabetes. Because of this risk, you need to be tested for diabetes after your baby is born, then every one to two years. Reduce your risk by taking small steps for you and your family. If you weigh too much, you can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes if you lose a small amount of weight and become more active.

It’s Never Too Early to Prevent Diabetes (Spanish) – If you had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant, you and your child have a lifelong risk for getting diabetes. Because of this risk, you need to be tested for diabetes after your baby is born, then every one to two years. Reduce your risk by taking small steps for you and your family. If you weigh too much, you can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes if you lose a small amount of weight and become more active.

It’s Not Too Late to Prevent Diabetes – As you get older, your risk for type 2 diabetes increases. If you are age 60 or more and overweight, you are at risk for type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. Take these small steps to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. Lose a modest amount of weight (10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person) by moving more and making healthy food choices.

Youth Tips – Lower Your Risk for Type 2 Diabetes – Feelings Many teens like you deal with diabetes everyday. Most of the time, it’s not a problem, you just deal with it. But sometimes, you may just want it to go away. Do you ever… • Ask “why me?” • Think you’re the only one who feels sad, mad, alone, afraid, or different? • Get tired of others teasing you if you are overweight? • Blame yourself or your family for your diabetes? All of these feelings are normal. Lots of teens who have diabetes feel the same way. It’s okay to get angry, feel sad, or think you’re different every now and then. But then you need to take charge and do something to feel better. Everyone feels down sometimes. You are not alone.

Periodontal Disease and Diabetes – What is periodontal disease? Periodontal disease is the scientific name used to describe gum disease. There are two common forms of periodontal disease. The first is called gingivitis, which is mild inflammation of the gums. The other, more serious, form of gum disease is called periodontitis, in which there is more severe inflammation of the gums, and the bone that holds the teeth in place begins to be gradually destroyed.

More Than 50 Ways to Prevent Diabetes – The name pretty well says it all. Enjoy!

Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Paso a Paso (Spanish) - ¡DE SU PRIMER PASO! El Programa Nacional de Educación sobre la Diabetes (NDEP, por sus siglas en inglés) recomienda que las personas con riesgo de desarrollar diabetes tipo 2, o que tienen una condición llamada pre-diabetes, hagan más actividad física. Perdiendo un poco de peso, comiendo saludablemente y haciendo 30 minutos de actividad física 5 días a la semana, usted puede prevenir o postponer la diabetes. Por ejemplo, si usted pesa 200 libras, perder solamente 10 libras le ayudará a disminuir su riesgo de desarrollar diabetes. Consulte con su proveedor de salud para ver si usted tiene riesgo y qué pasos debe tomar para prevenir…

If You Have Diabetes, Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers (Spanish) - Tomar control de su diabetes puede ayudarlo a sentirse mejor y mantenerse saludable. Las investigaciones indican que al mantener un nivel normal de glucosa sanguínea (azúcar en la sangre), usted reducirá sus posibilidades de tener complicaciones de los ojos, los riñones y los nervios. Para controlar su diabetes, usted tiene que saber cuál es su nivel de glucosa sanguínea y cuáles deberían ser sus metas.

Tips for Helping a Person with Diabetes – Diabetes is tough. When you have diabetes, you need to eat healthy food, stay active, control your weight, take your medicine, and check you blood glucose (sugar) to see how you are doing. And that’s on top of handling all the other things in life! No wonder a person with diabetes can feel stressed out and afraid.

Tips For Kids: Be Active – What’s so important about being physically active? Being active keeps your body healthy and strong and gives you more energy. It can help you think and be more alert in school. It can also help you stay at a healthy weight or help you lose weight slowly. Being active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Physical activity can make you feel better if you are in a bad mood or stressed out. It can relax you and help you sleep well. It helps your body use blood glucose (GLOO-kos), also called blood sugar, for energy. Physical activity can help keep your blood glucose in a normal range.

Tips For Kids: Eat Healthy Foods – Why eat healthy foods? Healthy foods give you energy to live, learn, and be active. They help you to: • Grow at a healthy rate and stay active. • Keep your blood glucose (GLOO-kos), also called blood sugar, in balance—not too high and not too low. • Lose weight slowly, if needed, under your doctor’s care.

Tips For Kids: Stay at a Healthy Weight – Why is it good to be at a healthy weight? Staying at a healthy weight as a teen may help you control your weight for life. Being at a healthy weight helps you feel fit, stay well, and feel good about the way you look. It can also help prevent health problems like heart disease and high blood pressure. If you have diabetes and are overweight, weight loss may improve your blood glucose (GLOO-kos), also called blood sugar, and make your diabetes easier to manage.

Tips For Kids: What is Diabetes? – What is diabetes? Diabetes means that your blood glucose (GLOO-kos), also called blood sugar, is too high. Glucose comes from the food you eat and is needed to fuel our bodies. Glucose is also stored in our liver and muscles. Your blood always has some glucose in it because your body needs glucose for energy. But having too much glucose in your blood is not healthy. An organ called the pancreas (PAN-kree-as) makes insulin (IN-suh-lin). Insulin helps glucose get from your blood into your cells. Cells take the glucose and turn it into energy. If you have diabetes, the pancreas makes little or no insulin or your cells cannot use insulin very well. Glucose builds up in your blood and cannot get into your cells. If your blood glucose stays too high, it can damage many parts of the body such as the heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.

4 Steps to Control Your Diabetes for Life – Diabetes is a serious disease. It affects almost every part of your body. That is why a health care team may help you take care of your diabetes:

7 Principles for Controlling Your Diabetes for Life – This brochure describes the 7 principles of good diabetes care. These principles, or steps, will help you manage your diabetes and live a long and active life. Every person who has diabetes has different needs. Talk to your health care team about a treatment plan that is best for you. Diabetes affects almost every part of the body and good diabetes care requires a team of health care providers. They include doctors, diabetes educators, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, mental health workers, eye specialists, foot specialists, dentists, and social workers. Take this brochure with you when you visit your doctor or other members of your team to talk about your treatment plan.

Take care of your Feet for a Lifetime (Spanish) - ¡Usted puede cuidarse los pies! Quiere evitar problemas graves en los pies que pueden resultar en la amputación de un dedo, un pie o una pierna? Este folleto, titulado Cuídese los pies durante toda la vida, le indica cómo hacerlo. Trata del buen cuidado de los pies.

Diabetes Community Partnership Guide – The Good News About Diabetes You might be wondering:What’s the “good” news about diabetes, the sixth leading cause of death that has reached epidemic proportions in the United States in the past 10 years? The good news is that we now have definitive proof that type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented in persons at risk for the disease. How— through moderate changes in lifestyle.

Guiding Principles of Diabetes Care – Introduction The goal of the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is to reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by diabetes and its complications through programs that increase awareness of the seriousness of the disease and the value of its treatment and prevention. These Guiding Principles for Diabetes Care for health care providers are evidence-based and describe the essential components of quality diabetes care. People with diabetes and their health care team need to have ongoing discussions about what care is best for each individual and why. Many health care providers make up the team to care for people with diabetes, including physicians, diabetes educators, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, social and mental health workers, eye specialists, foot specialists, and dentists. Ongoing, comprehensive diabetes care can prevent or control diabetes-related macrovascular complications (heart disease, stroke, and circulatory problems) and microvascular complications (blindness, amputations, and end-stage renal disease). With proper education and self-care, people with diabetes should expect to lead long, active, and productive lives.

Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed – More than 17 million Americans have diabetes. In your work with children and youth in the school setting, it is likely that you already have, or will have, a student with diabetes in your care. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in school-aged children, affecting about 151,000 young people in the United States, or about 1 in every 400 to 500 young people under 20 years of age. Each year, more than 13,000 youths are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. In addition, health care providers are finding more and more children and teens with type 2 diabetes, even though the disease is usually diagnosed in adults over age 40. Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that impairs the body’s ability to use food for energy. It is the sixth-leading cause of death by disease in the United States. Long-term complications include heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and amputation of the foot or leg. Although there is no cure, the disease can be managed and complications delayed or prevented.

Making a Difference-The Business Community Takes on Diabetes – Approximately 6% of the American population have diabetes. Thus, it should not be a surprise that employees with diabetes are found at all levels of a company, from the mailroom to the boardroom. These hard-working men and women do not want diabetes to prevent them from doing a good job and, with your company’s and/or labor union’s support for their efforts to manage their disease, they can remain productive and contribute significantly to your organization’s success. The purpose of this paper is to provide a rationale for diabetes action by corporate leaders like you.

Small Steps. Big Rewards. Your GAME PLAN for Preventing Type 2 Diabetes: Information for Patients – Diabetes prevention is proven, possible, and powerful. Studies show that people at high risk for diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by losing 5 to 7 percent of their weight, if they are overweight—that’s 10 to 14 pounds for a 200- pound person. Two keys to success:

Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime – You can take care of your feet! Do you want to avoid serious foot problems that can lead to a toe, foot, or leg amputation? Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime tells you how. It’s all about taking good care of your feet.

Team Care: Comprehensive Lifetime Management for Diabetes – Executive Summary This report was created to help organizational leaders in health care systems and purchasers of health care to implement multidisciplinary team care for people with diabetes in all clinical settings. The key function of a multidisciplinary team is to provide continuous, supportive, and aggressive care for people with diabetes throughout the course of their disease. Properly implemented diabetes team care is cost-effective and the preferred method of care delivery, particularly when services include health promotion and disease prevention in addition to intensive clinical management.

Alcohol and Holiday Stress – Did you know that alcohol actually causes stress? According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, research shows that alcohol triggers the release of stress hormones from the brain and pituitary and adrenal glands. THINK SAFE for your body and those around you by opening up to family and friends, going for a long walk, or giving yourself some time to relax rather than consuming alcohol. Here are a few tips for cutting down on A L C O H O L:

Women: Managing the Balancing Act – Many women manage multiple roles  parent, spouse, caregiver, employee  yet recognition of the impact on their own and their families’ health and economic well-being is sometimes overlooked. Mothers who work outside the home are often in the difficult position of balancing family health responsibilities with employment obligations. This balancing act becomes even more challenging for low-income women who are often the sole breadwinners with primary responsibility for managing the health of their children and other relatives.

How Do You Spell Relax – There are lots of ways to spell relax. Here are just a few favorites:

Ideas to De-Stress Your Day – “If I had time to learn stress-management skills, I wouldn’t need to learn them.” Does this statement ring true for you? Do you feel like life circumstances are controlling you and you are going along for the ride whether you want to or not? It doesn’t have to be that way. You CAN be in control. Stress can be overwhelming at times, but you can make SMALL changes, one by one, that will make a big difference in your stress level. Imagine what it will be like when you feel like you are running the show, instead of the show running you. Make a commitment to yourself to try at least ONE of these strategies each week…

Relaxation Techniques – Relaxation techniques are an important part of maintaining your stress level, increasing your inner peace, and developing a healthy relationship with yourself. Here are a few relaxation techniques to practice at least three times a week for 30-45 minutes per session:

Solutions to Life’s Little Stressors – You’re on the way to success! You are DOING! Action is your middle name. The road to success would be much easier if it weren’t littered with old habit obstacles and attitude potholes. So how can you maneuver around them and keep yourself headed in the right direction?

Stress and the Art of Coping – 20 Strategies for Surviving Stressful Situations 1. Open up with one-on-one communications. 2. Get outside, smell some fresh air and seek nature’s natural high. 3. Get physical to produce the best natural drugs for calming nerves. 4. Faith over fear. Worry less, trust more. Have faith in a higher power. 5. Play at work and work at play and stop being a serious stuffshirt.

Ten Strategies for Conflict Resolution – When angry, separate yourself from the situation and take time to cool out. • Attack the problem, not the person. Start with a compliment. • Communicate your feelings assertively, NOT aggressively. Express them without blaming. • Focus on the issue, NOT your position about the issue. • Accept and respect that individual opinions may differ, don’t try to force compliance, work to develop common agreement.

Stress and College – Everyone has heard of stress. Most people will readily admit that they have some in their lives. It is helpful to understand stress and learn how to cope with it. Understanding Stress Stress is defined as “the body’s non-specific physiological response to an outside stimuli.” Examples of these responses include appetite changes, headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, inability to concentrate, increased heart rate/blood pressure, sweating, irritability, upset stomach, sleeplessness, and/or mode swings.

Stress Relief – Massage – About Massage… Massage is touch. It is used for many different reasons. The main reason that will be focused on in this handout is massage for stress relief. Simple massage techniques can be used anytime or anywhere in order to relax and relieve stress.

Stress Relief – Mental Activities – Definition and Symptoms Stress is the non-specific physiological response to external stimuli. Some examples of stress include headaches, muscle tension, sweating, queasy stomach, fatigue, changes in appetite, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Stress experiences are different for all people. The relief of stress is an important life task. There are physical strategies to provide relief as well as mental strategies. The following examples are mental strategies for stress relief.

Stress Relief – Physical Activities – Everyone has heard of stress. Most people will readily admit that they have some in their lives. It is helpful to understand stress and learn how to cope with it. Definition and Symptoms Stress is the non-specific physiological response to external stimuli. Some examples of stress include headaches, muscle tension, sweating, queasy stomach, fatigue, inability to concentrate, moodiness, and changes in appetite. Stress experiences are different for all people. The relief of stress is an important life task. There are physical strategies to provide relief as well as mental strategies. The following examples are physical strategies for stress relief.

Test Anxiety – Test anxiety is the name given to the uneasy or overwhelming feeling experienced by many people as a test approaches. The extent to which people experience test anxiety varies greatly, and the symptoms experienced differ from person to person. Some feel that mild test anxiety is beneficial because the mind is made more alert, and the attention is focused as the body gets ready to do “battle” with difficult material. However, severe test anxiety can be overwhelming, leaving the test taker with a racing heart, sweaty brow, nauseous stomach, and only fragmented thoughts. Test anxiety can occur before a student starts preparing for a test, while studying for a test, and while taking the test. Here are some ways to avoid or lessen anxiety:

Time Management – Time management is using your time wisely in order to become more organized, efficient and stress free! There are many different ways of practicing good time management, so you just need to find what works best for you!

Cancer Clues that Can Save Your Life – What do cancer and lightning have in common? The answer: Most people think they come out of the blue–either they strike you down, or (if you’re lucky) they don’t. But that’s where the similarity ends. Far more people die from cancer than get hit by lightning–it’s the second leading cause of death in the United States (heart disease is first). Current estimates say that 30 percent of all Americans will develop some kind of cancer in their lifetimes, the most common forms being cancer of the skin, lungs, colon and rectum, breast, prostate, urinary tract, and uterus.

Diet and Cancer Risk – This kit contains more than 100 diet, exercise and nutrition related handouts. It is one of the single most useful packets of handouts we’ve ever discovered. Enjoy!

Sun Safety, Choose Your Cover – Each year, approximately one million skin cancers are detected. Scientists believe that reducing exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can decrease the risk of skin cancer. Americans want to know how they can protect their skin while still having fun outdoors. Meteorologists can play an important role in giving Americans the information they need to protect themselves from UV rays year-round. Inside is information you can give your viewers to help them protect themselves from the sun.

What Are the Risk Factors for Colon Cancer – A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, unprotected exposure to strong sunlight is a risk factor for skin cancer and smoking is a risk factor for cancers of the lungs, larynx, mouth, throat, esophagus, kidneys, bladder, and several other organs. Researchers have identified several risk factors that increase a person’s chance of developing colorectal cancer:

Keep Smokeless Tobacco Out – What is Chewing and Dipping? Tobacco is chewed by placing a golf-ball size wad between the cheek and teeth and sucking on it. Snuff is dipped by placing a pinch between the lower lip and teeth where it mixes with saliva and is absorbed. The user has an increased amount of saliva and must either swallow the tobacco juices or spit often.

About the Back and Back Problems – The lower part of the back holds most of the body’s weight. Even a minor problem with the bones, muscles, ligaments, or tendons in this area can cause pain when a person stands, bends, or moves around. Less often, a problem with a disc can pinch or irritate a nerve from the spinal cord, causing pain that runs down the leg, below the knee called sciatica. If you have a low back problem, you may have symptoms that include: • Pain or discomfort in the lower part of the back. • Pain or numbness that moves down the leg (sciatica).

Assess Your Joint Status – What’s Your Risk?
1) Are you 45 years of age or older?
2) Have you ever had an injury to your knee severe enough to put you in bed; to force you to use a cane, crutch or brace; or to require surgery?
3) Are you more than 10 pounds overweight?
4) Have you in the past, or do you currently, participate in greater than 3 hours per day of heavy physical activities, such as bending, lifting, or carrying items?
5) Did you have hip problems that caused you to limp as a child?

Arthritis and Physical Activity – The leading cause of disability. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States (1). Encompassing more than 100 diseases and conditions, it affects joints, soft tissues, connective tissues and sometimes – vital organs. Data now indicate that the numbers of adults impacted by this disease are higher than ever. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a state-by- state arthritis survey. The results indicate that 1 in 3 U.S. adults have arthritis compared to previous estimates of 1 in 6 (2, 3).

Diet and Your Arthritis – Can the foods you eat cause or affect your arthritis? That’s one of the most common questions people with arthritis ask. Because symptoms of arthritis can vary from day to day, it is natural to think that what you ate yesterday caused or reduced the pain you feel today. Researchers have looked at the roles diet may play in arthritis. There are some scientific reasons to think that the foods you eat could affect certain kinds of arthritis. Evidence shows that excessive weight and the type of diet you follow may influence symptoms of certain types of arthritis and related conditions.

Managing Your Arthritis Pain – Dealing with pain can be the hardest part of having arthritis or a related condition, but you can learn to manage it and its impact on your life. Causes of Pain: Arthritis pain is caused by several factors, such as: • Inflammation, the process that causes the redness and swelling in your joints; • Damage to joint tissues, which results from the disease process or from stress, injury or pressure on the joints; • Fatigue that results from the disease process, which can make your pain seem worse and harder to handle; • Depression or stress, which results from limited movement or no longer doing activities you enjoy.

Types of Arthritis and Related Rheumatic Diseases – There are more than 100 rheumatic diseases characterized by inflammation (signs are redness and/or heat, swelling, and pain) and loss of function of one or more connecting structures of the body. Others are known as autoimmune diseases because they occur when the immune system, which normally protects the body from infection and disease, harms the body’s own healthy tissues. Types of Arthritis:

Free Allergy Handouts and Asthma Fact Sheets

Allergies and Asthma affect young and old alike. Whether in school or working the effects of these conditions can have an impact on the productivity of those afflicted with the symptoms. We hope that these allergy handouts and asthma fact sheets will be of use in your efforts to promote health and wellness within your organization.

Tips for Controlling Your Asthma – If you have asthma, you are not alone. More than 14 million people in the United States have this lung disease. Of these, almost 5 million are children. Asthma is a problem among all races. But the asthma death rate and hospitalization rate for blacks are three times the rate of whites. Proper asthma care could prevent these problems for all. This booklet can help you learn how to control your asthma or help a friend or family member with asthma.

Asthma Medicines – During an asthma episode (“attack”) ● The lining of the airways becomes swollen (inflamed). ● The airways produce a thick mucus. ● The muscles around the airways tighten and make the airways narrower. These changes in the airways block the flow of air, making it hard to breathe and causing coughing. It often takes more than one medicine to treat the disease: some medicines relax the airways (bronchodilators) and others reduce (and even prevent) the swelling and excess mucus production (anti-inflammatories). There are three main categories of medications….more…

Asthma-Allergy Trigger Control Plan – Because you have asthma, your airways are very sensitive. They may react to things called triggers (stimuli that can cause asthma episodes). Your airways may become swollen, tighten up, and produce excess mucus in the presence of one or more of the triggers below. These triggers may make asthma symptoms worse or keep you from getting better. It’s important to find out what your asthma triggers are. Learn ways to avoid them. If you cannot avoid triggers, and your medicine plan does not work as well as you and your health care provider think it should, you both should discuss allergy shots (immunotherapy).

Exercise Induced Asthma – Exercise-induced asthma: Acute lung airway narrowing that occurs during and/or after physical activity. The cause is unknown but may be due to airway temperature, dry air, and bronchial artery congestion. The diagnosis is generally made by the patient’s history but can be confirmed by an exercise sprirometry test. Symptoms of wheezing and breathlessness usually peak within 10 minutes of exercise cessation and respond spontaneously within 20 – 60 minutes, depending on the severity of the attack.

Personal Asthma Plan – My Treatment Goals Are: · To have no severe symptoms night or day (includes not being awakened at all during the night). · To have the best possible lung function I can. · To be active in whatever exercise or sports I choose without limitation from asthma. · To attend school, work, and social events without disruption from asthma. · To avoid emergency room and hospital visits due to asthma flare-ups. · To have as few side effects as possible from my medication. · To be satisfied with my asthma care.

Using A Peak Flow Meter – A peak flow meter is a device that measures how well air moves out of your lungs. During an asthma episode the airways of the lungs begin to narrow slowly. The peak flow meter can be used to find out if there is narrowing in the airways, hours, even days, before you have any symptoms of asthma. By taking your medicine early (before symptoms) you may be able to stop the episode quickly and avoid a serious episode of asthma. Peak flow meters are used to check your asthma the way that blood pressure cuffs are used to check high blood pressure.

Using Your Metered Dose Inhaler – Using an inhaler seems simple, but many patients do not use it the right way. When you use your inhaler the wrong way, less medicine gets into your lungs. (You may be given other types of inhalers which have different instructions).

What Is Asthma? – Asthma is a chronic lung disease. Currently, there is no cure, but it can be controlled. · Airway linings become inflamed; that is, they get swollen and secrete extra mucus. · Airways narrow and breathing becomes difficult. Sometimes the narrowing gets better by itself; often medicine is needed to get the airways open again. · Airways are super sensitive. They react to many things, such as cigarette smoke, pollen, or cold air. Coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, and difficulty breathing may result.